In this wholly original novel alive with misfortune and magic, Michel Basili???res uncovers a Montreal not seen in any other English-Canadian work: a forgotten blue-collar neighbourhood in between the two solitudes. Gothic, outrageous, yet tender and wise, Black Bird is as liberating as the dreams of its wayward characters, and as gripping as the insurgencies that split its heart. The Desouches have inhabited the same run-down house in working-class Montreal for years, much to the dismay of their landlord, and its ...
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In this wholly original novel alive with misfortune and magic, Michel Basili???res uncovers a Montreal not seen in any other English-Canadian work: a forgotten blue-collar neighbourhood in between the two solitudes. Gothic, outrageous, yet tender and wise, Black Bird is as liberating as the dreams of its wayward characters, and as gripping as the insurgencies that split its heart. The Desouches have inhabited the same run-down house in working-class Montreal for years, much to the dismay of their landlord, and its ramshackle architecture perfectly mirrors that of the eccentric family living inside. Grandfather is a sour old grave-robber who relishes in the anguish he causes his wife and family. Uncle shares the same occupation, and otherwise spends much of his time drunk and alone. Neither is looking forward to the winter, which means lost work, due to the frozen ground. Father doesn't share their gruesome job, but comes up with his own schemes anyway. Mother lies down to sleep away her grief when her father dies, and does not wake up for months. A plain French woman named Aline marries into the family, having been fooled by Grandfather's smooth ways, only to find herself alienated in a household that chooses to speak English. Marie, the granddaughter and an FLQ terrorist, could share her language -- she certainly resents that a part of her is English -- but is too caught up in her politics and her anger to get involved. It falls to Marie's twin brother, Jean-Baptiste, to play occasional translator, though as always he'd prefer to be upstairs in his attic room reading literature and writing awful poetry. Throw in a judgemental pet crow, a confused ghost, a mad doctor, peculiar neighbours, maverick policemen and the walking dead, and you've got the makings of the ultimate domestic drama, Montreal-style. When an FLQ bomb set by Marie kills not only the expected strangers but her anglo maternal grandfather (what was he doing out for a smoked-meat sandwich at that hour, anyway?) it sets the family off on a notably bad run of luck. Then again, not many stretches would stand out as stellar for this peculiar group. Which points to one of the wonderful truths that Basili???res allows to guide his characters: that life is crummy and a struggle just as often as it's not, but that doesn't keep us from wanting to enjoy it in our own ways and hoping for a better tomorrow. As in life, there is a level of coincidence here that is too uncanny to not be believable. When the drunken premier runs down a man in the street, it is not only Marie's boyfriend and fellow activist who is killed, but the crooked cops bring the fresh corpse to Grandfather's door to be suitably dealt with. When some of Marie's separatist pamphlets get mixed up with Jean-Baptiste's poetry chapbooks, a prison term and a kidnapping are among the unexpected results. When Grandfather loses an eye, his vision improves. And as events spiral out of control, it seems that some of the Desouches are at their most content. With Black Bird , Michel Basili???res has written a comic noir, a disturbing and hilarious study of how the October Crisis and the question of Canadian nationalism play out through the disjointed relationships within one family. And as with all of the best fiction, here the facts of our history do not get in the way of the truth, or of telling a good story. Compared to such disparate novels as One Hundred Years of Solitude , The Corrections , and Two Solitudes , Black Bird marks the fiction debut of a masterful and thoroughly entertaining storyteller.
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Add this copy of Black Bird to cart. $4.41, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brownstown, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2004 by Vintage Books Canada.
Add this copy of Black Bird to cart. $4.62, very good condition, Sold by Mr. Bookman Inc. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Franklin, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2004 by Vintage Books Canada.
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TRUST OUR FEEDBACK RATING. USED VERY GOOD (Almost in Like New condition.2. ) Construction of the book is excellent i.e. Tight spine. No loose pages. Clean pages. No writing, highlighting, marks or underlining on the pages. Some light page discoloration. Clean front cover with no tears, major creases or major marks (possibly some minor ones). Minor shelf wear along the edges and sides of the book. An old price sticker or sticker residue on front or back cover. All books are mailed out in a bubble wrap mailer to protect your purchase. Orders are ALWAYS shipped same day or next day with FREE TRACKING emailed to you automatically. (WE TRY HARD TO DESCRIBE OUR BOOKS ACCURATELY SO YOU CAN BUY WITH CONFIDENCE)
Add this copy of Black Bird to cart. $5.59, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2004 by Vintage Books.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Black Bird to cart. $7.49, like new condition, Sold by The Book Scouts rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hamilton, ON, CANADA, published 2003 by Knopf.
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Fine in Near Fine jacket. Size: 5x1x8; We're happy to combine shipping to save you some money. We're also always buying collectible book collections. Contact us for details. We're happy to provide pictures of any and all books for you, please just ask! Canadian first edition, first printing. Contains number line 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Virtually no wear to jacket. Jacket is in a Mylar cover. Jacket is NOT price clipped. Covers are clean and bright. Edges are sharp. No tears or creases. The book itself is in Near Fine condition. The binding is straight and tight. NO remainder mark.
Add this copy of Black Bird to cart. $8.42, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Knopf Canada.
Add this copy of Black Bird to cart. $8.43, good condition, Sold by HPB-Red rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Knopf.
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Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have some wear or limited writing/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Black Bird to cart. $8.43, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Ruby rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2003 by Knopf.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Black Bird to cart. $12.99, very good condition, Sold by Russell Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Victoria, BC, CANADA, published 2004 by Vintage Books Canada.
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Very Good. Size: 8x5x1; No gift inscription or remarks inside, nearly as new condition. signed at the title page. based on your address. -We can ship from USA and Canada. Specializing in academic, collectible and historically significant, providing the utmost quality and customer service satisfaction. For any questions feel free to email us.